Rooms
The ground-floor One Bedroom Suite with Pool Access was impressively spacious from the moment I entered. The separate living area, featuring a sofa, was a welcome sight, as were the coffee and tea making facilities and the small dining table. Complimentary glass bottles of water were also provided daily during the room cleaning.
Coming from space-starved Singapore, I was struck by the sheer size of the bathroom. Despite housing double vanities, a shower, toilet, and an oval bathtub, it never felt cramped and offered plenty of room to move around.
The king-sized bed was wonderfully plush, and the working desk in the bedroom, with its view of the pool, provided a pleasant workspace. The speedy Wi-Fi was seamless, allowing me to efficiently work on my article after attending a conference earlier in the day.
For me, the standout feature of the room was undoubtedly the direct access to the free-form pool. There is nothing better than being able to satisfy that spontaneous urge for a dip just by stepping beyond the sliding door.
MICE facilities
Meeting facilities at Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach include a ballroom that can hold 250 guests banquet-style, and three breakout rooms for up to 40 people each. The ballroom also boasts a semi-outdoor lawn and its own portico for group arrivals.
Meanwhile, the adjacent Hotel Indigo Bintan Lagoi Beach – both properties share the same land plot and separated by landscaping – offers a boardroom with ocean views. Shared event spaces include the Sekisah Pavilion and Garden with views of Lagoi Beach and the South China Sea, as well as an outdoor lawn that can hold up to 500 pax under a marquee.
Other facilities
For corporates with their families in tow, there is the Mangrove House Kids Club that can organise both indoor and outdoor activities for little ones. There is even a movie room, outdoor playground with a zipline, food kiosk (cutely named Kokonut Snack Shack), and splash pad. There are also 16 family suites available, which includes a safari-themed kid suite.
For the adults, Sunjivva Spa provides a host of massages and facials, as well as a Dreampod flotation capsule, alongside a 24-hour gym. There is also an activity room with chessboards and a table tennis table. We joined in a Tanjak Souvenir Making Class, a hands-on cultural experience where we learnt about the tanjak, a traditional Malay headpiece made from songket fabric, and made a miniature keychain of it.
There is only one international restaurant on the property, Warung Pak Lagoi, where I had breakfast and lunch at. Other F&B options include the Ginger Root Tea Lounge, and the swim-up Strawbella Pool Bar.
SugarBeats Club – which reminded me very much of a Bali beach club due to its coconut-tree lined beach frontage – at the Hotel Indigo next door, has three other dining options – Ocean Kitchen, Stix Stix Satay Bar, and Tiki Bar. Expect hearty Indonesian plates such as beef rendang and deconstructed local desserts at Ocean Kitchen, a variety of Asian-flavoured skewers from Stix Satay Bar, and a bartender concocting Bintan-inspired drinks at Tiki Bar.
Also situated on the Lagoi Bay beachfront is the Wavy Waft sea sports centre where a range of motorised and non-motorised equipment can be hired.
In the pipeline and on track to open by the end of 2025 is a football pitch, wellness centre with 21 treatment rooms, and pickleball and badminton courts. A four-storey standalone building next to the Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach lobby is also currently under construction, and TTGmice understands that it will feature a rooftop bar, Chinese restaurant, and shops.
Service
There were a few minor hardware kinks, where my dining experience at Warung Pak Lagoi was affected by an air-conditioning issue (feedback on this was duly provided), and a leaking showerhead in my room. The staff were very responsive and reassured me that it would be taken care of before the next guest occupied the room.
The staff were not only efficient in addressing issues, but also friendly and approachable. Their consistent smiles and genuine interest in how my day was going made the hotel feel very welcoming.
Verdict
Located just a 10-minute drive from the Bandar Bentan Telani ferry terminal, this property exudes Bali vibes without the hassle of flying. I was contented with lazing on the covered porch of my pool suite, interspersed with cooling dips in the pool, and sprawling on the living room sofa to escape the heat.
For planners needing an offsite option that is offers a multitude of possibilities and is value-for-money, the Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach provides a solid and promising choice.
Number of rooms
379
Contact details
ihg.com/holidayinnresorts/hotels/us/en/bintan/bnibl/hoteldetail
He previously served as cluster general manager for Fairmont Hotels and Safari Clubs Kenya, including Fairmont The Norfolk in Nairobi and Fairmont Mara Safari Club.
